Grease cartridge



Nov. 17, 1925 1,561,885

R. c. PORTWAY GREASE CARTRIDGE Filed March 6, 1925 /mwrlw' Roberta POTZW a Patented Nov. 17, 1 925.

ROBERT coEN LL PORTWAY, or IBEGKENHAM, ENGLAND.

GREASE CARTRIDGE.

Application filed March 6, 1925. Serial No. 13,525.

To a whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, ROBERT CORNELL Pon'rwAr, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at BeckenhanfpEngland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grease Cartridges (for whiehI have filed application in England, No. 26,488/23 on October 23, 1923), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grease cartridges for use in grease guns Heretofore grease for grease guns has been made up in tubes with removable cl0- sures at each end to form a grease cartridge; the tube fitting into the barrel in the manner of a sleeve or lining.

Now it has been found in practice that the barrels of grease guns of different makers, though stipulated as of a standard size, vary to a very slight degree, just sufliciently, however, to prevent the insertion of a cartridge of the same standard size, so that the person trying to charge the gun only succeeds in getting his-hands greasy.

The object of the present invention is to provide a resilient cartridge which can be slightly reduced in diameter so as to readily enter a grease gun, the barrel of which'is of slightly smaller diameter than that for which the cartridge isdesigned; and further, to provide a cartridge which automatically expandsto fit the barrel when the gun plunger enters the cartridge.

A still further ob 'ect is to construct a resilient cartridge of vvariable diameter, as above set forth, which can be packed and stored or handled without the grease exuding.

'lho acconipanying drawings illustrate a preferred construction embodying the pres-- ent invention, in which like reference numerals designate the same or similar parts.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the car tridge in a wrapperinade up for storage.

Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal and end views respectively of the cartridge stripped of its wrapping.

Fig; 4 shows in longitudinal section a grease gun charged with a cartridge formed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing how the overlap is reduced when the plunger of the gun enters the cartridge case; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 3, but to a. larger scale, showing a modified form of overlap.

i As shown in the drawings, the flexible cartridge consists' of a longitudinal split tu-- bular case 1, formed with an end 2 flared out to adiameter greater than that of the plunger of the gun of the size for the cartridge, which case is made of thin sheet metal or other suitable s ringy material, so i that its longitudinal e gs 3 spring 'togethcr and form a flexible longitudinal overlap 4; such split case being preferably secured by means of a paper or other suitable binding or 'wrappmg 5, which wrap-,

ping may be provided with a tearing strip, such as 6, to facilitate the removal of-the wrapping.

The cartridge so formed is of variable diameter, and is filled with lubricating grease 'or the like in any convenient manner, so as to leave a small space 7 at each end of the reception of a flanged paper or cardboard plug 8 and a frangible plug 9; the plug 8 which closes the flared end 2. of, the car tridge, having its flange turned inwards. while the frangible plug 9 in the opposite end is preferably of paper, and may be either reversed, as shown, or be disposed similarly to the plug 8; the ends so closed being sealed by dipping the same in molten paraffin or other suitable material.

The improved cartridges are made in various sizes to adapt them for use in various sizes and types of grease guns, in the manner indicated at Fig. 4; the split cartridge case being made slightly longer than the barrel 10 of the grease gun, so that the flared end 2 of the cartridge case projects slightly beyond the end of the-barrel of the grease gun when assembled therein.

Referring to Fig. 4: The grease gun illustrated is of known type, and comprises a barrel 10 provided at the end away from the plunger with a remo-vable'cap including an outlet 11, to which a flexible pipe 12 is connected; the plunger end of the cartridge being provided with a removable cap 13 which carries a screw threaded rod 14 on which a flexible cup leather or like plunger tridgecase, and the latter pushed home into the barrel, the flared end 2 projecting, as stated, slightly beyond the barrel at the plunger end, and being made slightly less in diameter than the interior diameter of the cap 13, allows such cap to be replaced on the end pt the barrel 10 after the plun ger has been drawn back into the cap.

The gun thus being charged, operating the screw piston rod 14 of the grease gun will cause the plunger 15 ..0 enter the projecting flared end 2 ot the split cart-ridge case with out catching the edge thereof as the end is greater in diameter than the plunger, and then to be forced against the plug 8 in such end, the resulting pressure. causing the contents to burst through the frangible" paper plug 9 in the opposite end of the split carcartridge case 1 can be contracted sufliciently to enter the barrel of the grease gun; the end spaces 7 in the cartridge allowing for the longitudinal displacement of the grease.

In the modification illustrated at Fig. 6, the overlapping longitudinal edges 3 of the .split cartridge case 1 are bevelled off, as indieated, to ,forma flexible scarf joint or seam 4 in order to avoid irregularity along the flexible overlap of the split cartridge case, so that the plunger of the grease gun can make a sutliciently close fit to prevent grease escaping behind the plunger as the latter is operated.

I claim 1. A grease gun cartridge case of variable diameter, comprising a split tubular member having its longitudinal edges beveled and freely overlapping, said case being initially 01' less diameter than that of the barrel of the gun for which it is intended and said overlapping beveled edges being so proportioned as to abut against each other when the said case is diametrically expanded in the gun barrel.

2. A grease cartridge comprising a resilient longitudinally split tube, into which the grease is filled so as to leave an unoccupied space at each end of the tube to allow of longitudinal displacement of the grease on eontraction of the split tube, an outw'ardly flared end to said tube, a plug-like closure in said flared end slidable through said tube, and a frangible closure in the other end of said tube, said split tube having its longitudinal edges beveled and freely overlapping andbeing initially of less diameter than that of the barrel of the gun for which it is intended and said overlapping beveled edges being so proportioned as to abut against each other when said tube is diametrically expanded in the gun barrel.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT CORNELL PORTVVAY. 

